In 1965 Jerry Leggio designed the motion picture casting system for the Louisiana State Employment Service (today's Louisiana Workforce Commission). In 1969 he was awarded a State Science Foundation contract to Develop the Motion Picture Industry in Louisiana and In 1975 he led a multi-state committee to form the National Cineposium .
Jerry is the recipient of the 2014 ANNE PRICE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD in recognition of his pioneering efforts to grow the film industry in Louisiana.

Monday, January 12, 2015

My venture into movie magic actually goes back to 1954 when I was cast in an extremely ambitious LSU-originated historical drama entitled ALWAYS ACADIA directed by my mentor, Oran "Doc" Teague. Then between 1955 and 1956 I enjoyed a most fulfilling period of growth in front of the WBRZ TV cameras when I was hired as a regular on a Kid show, then later -- the weekly HIT OR MISS program which grew in local popularity over the 1955-56 period.

But then came rock
and roll. HIT or MISS along with the immensely popular national YOUR HIT
PARADE quickly declined in popularity. Names like Fats Domino, Little
Richard, Elvis Presley had taken over the pop scene. The HIT OR MISS cast
was then dissolved, but not our spirits. Some departed for either New
York or Hollywood; others (myself included) chose not to leave Baton Rouge.

When my departing
friends tried to persuade me to join them in this new quest, I simply said
"I'm going to bring it all to Louisiana." I had no idea how I
was going to achieve such an ambitious objective, but I knew that I wanted the
blood and guts of the film industry to expand into Louisiana. I was
intrigued with Hollywood's growing preoccupation with Louisiana and felt that
this industry simply needed a little prodding.

Chapter one in my pursuit came with
a God-send. I was hired in 1957 by the Louisiana Division of Employment
Security (today's Louisiana Workforce Commission). In 1960 20th Century Fox's DESIRE IN THE DUST starring Raymond Burr, Joan Bennett and Martha Hyer was set to begin production
in the Feliciana's. This production was my first "hands-on"
experience with Motion Picture production. Chapter 2 comprised three more
great opportunities for me to further my cinematographic education: 20th
Century Fox's HUSH HUSH SWEET CHARLOTTE , Columbia Pictures' ALVAREZ KELLY and Paramount Pictures' NEVADA SMITH. Chapter 3 would begin with my infrastructure development -- my meeting with
Director Otto Preminger in 1966, then with Clint Eastwood's Malposa production entitled THE BEGUILED in 1970. And chapter 4 would be none other than my true hero, John Wayne,
who provided the icing on this cake while in production in south Louisiana on
his epic Batjac production of THE UNDEFEATED The "Duke" provided the political muscle I needed to acquire
the GSRI (GULF SOUTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE) funding that would allow me to embark on my Louisiana Film Development
project.

With my project now underway, I
marveled at how very receptive the movers and shakers of the industry were when
confronted with my inquiries. Never once did I have to beg for cooperation.

In 1976 the Louisiana Film
Commission was formed. I served on the commission
from that date until 1984 when Gov Edwin Edwards won re-election to his 2nd
term. He wasted no time in sending me a
letter thanking me for my service, but de-commissioning me. He said he thought the commission needed
“new” blood. I asked his daughter,
Victoria, why he “fired” me from the commission to which she said: “Because you
didn’t step down during Treen’s administration.” Humm!
I learned a lesson in political scheming

In spite of Edwards’ slight
against me in 1984 my contributions to
the state’s phenomenal growth in the film industry would be recognized at the second
annual Louisiana International Film Festival (LIFF) in May 2014 when I would proudly accept the
first ever ANNE PRICE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Following are a few industry press
clip excerpts that will offer some insight into the project’s objectives:

About Me

Jerry designed the casting system for the Louisiana State Employment Service(today's LaWORKS). Some 20 other states have emulated and adopted this
program.
Jerry won a Louisiana State Science Foundation project in 1969 entitled
DEVELOPMENT OF THE MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY IN LOUISIANA,
receiving national acclaim and resulting in the formation of
the Louisiana Film Commission.
Jerry led a committee to form the National Cineposium in 1975. Was featured speaker in '75 and '76.
In 1975, 76 and 84 Jerry published a Louisiana Players' Directory which
included a comprehensive skills cross-index.
2014 recipient of the ANNE PRICE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD